Shangrila
by The Dairy Queen
Summary: This is a prequel of The Lost Boys. Marko saved someone's life, but can he save her from herself? MarkoOC. please r&rThanks to my reviewers!
1. Chapter 1

The night air was cool and the full moon gleamed in the sky. Santa Carla was alive. As all nights, the boardwalk was teeming with people. They were different. They came from all walks of life. Some were lost. In a back alley, a haggard drunk collapsed on the dirty street in a pile of rubbish and torn missing persons posters. His eyes were bleary and heavily blood shot. Half dazed, he nearly passed out from his stupor. But then his eyes widened and he seemed to sober slightly. But it was only an unnatural product of his terror.

* * *

Zara walked alone. She liked to be alone. On the crowded boardwalk, she was jostled and shoved. She would usually ignore it, but not before sending a burning glare in the general direction.

She chose to be alone. Throughout her senior year, summer vacation had meant her last summer of being a kid. It was supposed to be her last chance for fun, before she had to grow up. Her parents had helped her and prodded her every step of the way in High School. They had insisted on perfect grades, a stuffed schedule of after school activities and community work. But what had it been for? Was it worth anything?

"_No,"_ she decided firmly. _"There's nothing now." _

Zara found herself in front of the Giant Dipper. The popular roller coaster seemed to tower over her as she peered up at it.

"It's really something, isn't it?"

Zara turned suddenly. A handsome young man smiled pleasantly down at her. He wore a cropped t shirt and ripped jeans. His bleached hair was spiked into a Mohawk. He stuck out his right hand. "I'm Josh."

Zara turned and ignored him. But Josh would not be put off, and just followed her around to her other side.

"And you are?" he persisted.

Zara raised an eyebrow. Then, she hesitantly took his hand.

"Zara," she said flatly.

"Zara," he repeated softly. "That's a beautiful name." He smiled again. Then, his eye was caught by the breathtaking lit coaster. "Do you want to go on?"

Zara thought for a moment.

"Alright," she said, putting on a slight smile.

* * *

He was drained, lifeless. The moon cast a ray across the drunk, revealing his drawn, ghostly white face. His expression was frozen in terror. Someone stood over the man. His clothes, a white muscle shirt and colorfully patched jacket, were torn, and blood smeared his chest and face. It clung to strands of his long, curly blond hair.

He closed his eyes and leaned against the alley wall. He breathed deeply. Then his eyes snapped open. He had heard a scream.


	2. Chapter 2

The Giant Dipper came to a jolting stop at the ride's conclusion. As Zara exited back onto the boardwalk, Josh casually slipped his arm around her shoulder. Leaning into her, his lips whispered in her ear:

"Do you want to go somewhere?"

Zara looked sharply at him.

"No," she said, swiftly slipping away from him. "I think I'd rather not."

"Come on," he whined, and grabbed her arm, his nails cutting her painfully.

"Get the hell off me!" Zara seethed. She screamed for help.

"Not until I get what I want," he hissed.

At that time, Zara knee, quite forcefully, attacked his groin. Josh howled in pain, and doubled over. Zara shoved her way through the crowded boardwalk and stumbled into an alleyway. Dark clouds rolled across the sky, and everything went dark. She screamed again as heavy footsteps thundered after her and Josh's rough hands gripped her waist. She slapped him across the face, but he threw her against the wall. She slumped to the ground, and looking down, gasped. Next to her was an ashen corpse. Suddenly, she heard a strange gurgling sound, and Josh crumbled next to her. She turned away, repulsed by his mangled face, and found her self staring into pair of gleaming, bright eyes. A shiver ran down her spine as she gave way to her exhaustion and was lulled to unconsciousness by the sound of bat's wings.

She couldn't see. The boardwalk was tinged with a blood red hue. But it was abandoned. All that remained were the echoes of the souls that had walked it the night before. But it was fading, melting in a swirl. And then, she was caught in it, and vanished. She was standing in her bed room now. A stranger stood over her, his eyes glowing red, but his face was blackened by shadow. She took a step backward and fell sprawling on her bed. He leaned over her.

"Join us, Zara" he whispered.

Zara's breath caught in her throat as he brushed his lips lightly over hers. She looked into his eyes and was held there in a horrified trance.

"Don't be scared Zara," he said as his mouth approached her throbbing veins.

Zara blinked. She opened her eyes and was looking into the face of a twisted creature, his fangs protruding from his amused grin. Blood stained her clothes as he tore into her.

She bolted up in bed, shoving her fuscia sheets from her. The room was very dark, and though she tried desperately, she could not remember how she had gotten home. Her forehead dripped with cold sweat. Shaking, she went to her old bathroom and splashed cold water on her face to calm her nerves.

It broke the heavy silence, the window swinging open, and its eerie creak filling the room as it moved on its hundred year old hinges. She whirled. But, the window stood open, the curtains like flags in the night. And no one was there.

Zara's piercing scream was heard across Santa Carla, and, not far away, a vampire smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

**Note: Right, I know it is a bit slow so far, but it will pick up. Now we are only in the introduction, really. Thank you to those who are reading.**

Zara slept through the day. She had attempted to rise that morning, but had given up from sheer exhaustion. Now came a pounding on her door. She opened her eyes and was met by a glare of the setting sun through her window. She hurriedly closed the window blinds and curtains. Still the door was pounding.

"I'm coming!" Zara cried irritably, nearly ripping the door from its hinges.

"Oh…" A rosy college girl, vacationing in Santa Carla for the summer, stood outside the door. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?

"No, it's all right…" Zara mumbled.

"In that case, I've come to invite you to go out with a group of friends of mine tonight. You're here for the summer too, aren't you? We saw you wandering around yesterday. By the way, my name's Annie." She took Zara's hand and shook it.

"Anyway," she continued. "You were all alone, so we thought we'd invite you to come with us."

She looked expectantly at Zara, waiting for an answer. When none came, she continued awkwardly.

"It's a shame to vacation by yourself. But this place seems nice. You know, this place is called the murder capital of the world, but I don't believe any of that, do you?"

"No, I suppose not," said Zara beginning to feel keen annoyance. "Listen, can I meet you in a while?"

"Uh…yeah. On the boardwalk, ok?"

"Ok," Zara said, exasperated, and shut the door in Annie's face. She sighed, and started rummaging through her closet for something that wasn't wrinkled.

* * *

Black ocean waves crashed upon the bluff . Zara looked down at them, down at the rocky depths below. They were consuming, absorbing.

"_I could be standing over them one instant and gone the next," she thought._

"Just gone…" she heard herself whispering aloud.

A roar filled her ears. It rose with the waves, and fell in time with the thumping beating of her heart. It could be so quick. She took a hesitant step forward, and from that moment was locked to the sea, and gravity took hold of her.

"Don't do it, Zara."

The glaze fell from her eyes. Zara gasped. The stranger from the night before held her by the wrist, the single anchor from plunging to the rocks below. She looked down; a wave of panic swept over her, and closed her eyes tightly.

_"I'm not here," _she told herself. _"I'm not dangling fifty-feet from my death. Yes. In fact I'm home."_

A peculiar smile formed on her lips. She slowly opened her eyes, and looked into the face of the man she had seen only in her dreams, or nightmares.

"How can I trust you?" she gasped. "I don't even know your name."

"I'm Marko. Now give me your other hand."

Zara hesitated a moment. Then she grabbed his outstretched hand. He pulled her onto the rocky cliff.

"My name is Zara," she whispered.

"I know," he responded.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Lost Boys. Zara, however, is copyright mine. **

"So," said Marko. "Are you going to tell me what you were doing up here?"

"It's a long story," she said evasively. "I should be thanking you. For… helping me out, but I…I still don't have a clue who you are!"

Zara sat a few feet from the edge of the bluff, her chin resting on her bent knees, and her long skirt billowing around her. She looked ahead at the horizon. Beside her was Marko, legs crossed Indian-style, and leaning on one hand. He could not read her expression, the heavy fog and the night nearly obscuring her from view, except for a single ray of moonlight which fell on her face. Zara was unable or unwilling to look at him, and she was confused and afraid that she didn't know why. They sat in silence for several moments. In the stillness, the noises around them seemed to grow louder. Night owls hooted audible, and nocturnal creatures emerged from the stillness and seclusion of the shadows. In a crescendo, the waves broke upon the rocks.

"It's like a dream," she murmured.

"_It's more than a dream," _Marko thought. Aloud, he said: "What to you want to know?"

Zara turned; her eyebrows arced in surprise. "Huh? Oh, yes…" Marko's face broke into a grin. Zara eyed him skeptically, searching his eyes. At last she tore her gaze back to the dark ocean. "Everything Marko-I want to know everything."

"Everything? I can't tell you everything Zara."

"Will you tell me what you can?" Zara found herself staring earnestly at him. "_If I could have something-anything…maybe I could understand why I feel so…so safe around him; but elsewhere…"

* * *

_

"_Zara? Are you awake?_

_Zara Peters blinked her eyes and yawned as her mother went to her bedroom window, letting the sunlight stream into the room. Zara averted her eyes, squinting from the sudden brightness. She groaned and rolled over, burying herself with her blanket. _

"_Come on," her mother urged, tugging at the blanket that now seemed to be permanently sealed in Zara's grasp. "You've got a big day ahead of you. You only have one High School graduation."_

"'_Right Mom, I'm up," came Zara's muffled voice from the depths of her pillow. _

"_Oh no, I'm not falling for that one. Come on, your Dad is making you a good breakfast…Zara?"_

"Zara?"

Zara blinked. The images in her mind disappeared as quickly as they had come and once again became only moments in her memory.

"Yes," Zara said. "Yes, I'm fine."

* * *

"So let me get this straight." Zara said, counting points off on her fingers. "Your name is Marko. You like Chinese food and the night life….wow. I really am impressed. You know, this would make a killer personal add. Shall we write one up for you?"

Marko smiled devilishly, and a chuckle escaped his lips. Zara, determined not to give a hint of amusement, pressed her lips firmly in a line. But the more she tried to suppress it, the more the laughter built inside, and out of no where came an outburst followed my a snort. Zara clapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide, and turned a bright, embarrassing shade of scarlet. Her amusing appearance only caused Marko to let out a hearty laugh. In response, Zara whacked him on the back of the head.

"Hey!" she cried, through broken laughter. "It's not funny! Alright, maybe it was a _little _funny, but- stop laughing! I swear, if you tell anyone…. Fine, if that's how you are going to be…" Zara stood up and formally shook his hand. "Marko, I thank you for your assistance, but I will be going now. It was a pleasure making your acquaintance." Then, she turned on her heals and began to walk away.

"Zara, wait."

She turned expectantly.

Marko smiled sardonically. "You're walking back to the boardwalk?"

"Didn't I walk here?" Zara rolled her eyes and continued on her way.

"I can give you a ride…," Marko said, reaching out and grabbing her shoulder, forcing her to face him. "….if you want," he added nonchalantly. Zara thought for a moment. "Alright," she finally said.

"Come on," Marko said.

He led her to a rickety staircase on the edge of the bluff. Aside from a few shrubs and trees, there appeared to me nothing else there.

"Do you have a car?" Zara asked in a confused voice.

"No," responded Marko, slightly obscured in front of her. "Why?"

"Well, I did assume that when you said ride…" She trailed off. They had neared a tree, and into view had come a motorcycle; Marko's motorcycle. "Oh no, I-ah…I couldn't. I've never- I'm not sure that those are entirely…safe. I don't mind walking…."

"Come on Zara," Marko said, grinning. Zara hesitated, and then slipped submissively behind him on the bike. "I'd hold on if I were you." Zara wrapped her arms around his waist, and braced herself.

They came to a halt at the edge of the boardwalk. Marko parked his bike.

**Note: I hope you all liked. It is a little longer than my usual chapters, which I'm going to continue. Also, the next chapter should see less Zara, and more Marko with the guys. Please review. **


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